Sheriff's deputy who shot man won't be charged
A Frederick County Sheriff's Office corporal who shot a man in downtown Frederick Monday will not be charged in the shooting, Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith said Thursday.
In a statement, Smith said his office determined that sheriff's office Cpl. Gregory Morton's shooting of Cody Berg, 40, of Woodbine, in a parking lot in the 300 block of North Market Street was justified. Smith's office reviewed body-camera footage and consulted with investigators.
'As a result, it is our opinion that Corporal Morton did not commit a crime and therefore, no charges will be [placed] against Corporal Morton,' the statement said.
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said on Monday that Morton shot Berg after Berg, who had a knife, approached the deputy and refused to drop the knife after multiple warnings. Morton fired one shot, hitting Berg, according to the sheriff's office.
The State's Attorney's Office is not releasing footage from Morton's body camera, or any other evidence in the case, at this time, the statement said, citing charges that are pending in the case.
In a phone interview on Thursday, Smith said the decision not to release evidence related to the shooting is based on pending charges against Berg.
At approximately 6:44 p.m. Monday, family members of Berg, who they said was experiencing a mental health crisis, were in the parking lot on North Market Street and asked Morton — who was already in the area at the time — for help.
After the shooting, Berg was taken to a trauma center with injuries described as not life-threatening.
Smith said Thursday the State's Attorney's Office consulted with the Frederick Police Department and has approved charges against Berg, but he was not sure whether they had been officially filed yet.
Online court records did not include charges against Berg in the case as of Thursday evening.
But in the statement, Smith said the decision not to release the evidence was temporary.
'In all police-involved shootings a full declination report disclosing and detailing all other evidence, including body worn camera footage, and the decision-making process as it relates to the use of force will be released by our office upon the conclusion of the pending criminal prosecution,' Smith wrote.
Staff writer Ceoli Jacoby contributed to this story.
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